PMT DB
PMT DB
Mark Titus on NBA Dogs, Celtics Life Support, and Succession Finale Preview
The Boston Celtics are officially on life support, which means Hank is walking around with a smile that would break a lesser man. After being down 3-0, the Celtics have dragged this series back to a Game 5, and Big Cat and PFT are starting to feel the walls closing in. PFT is trying to play the math game to justify his previous bets, but the reality is that the vibe in the office shifts completely when Hank starts getting hope.
PFT CommenterBetting on the Heat to win the series while up 3-0 was a 'sharp' bet based on expected value and ROI
It was a plus expected value on the bet, by the way... I was getting 10% return on investment. It should have been about 5% given the history of the NBA in three-nothing leads. So it was a sharp bet. I don't regret anything. I'm a process guy, not a results guy.
Hank isn't just hopeful; he's already planning the parade route and his June golf schedule. He’s convinced that if they can just steal one more in Miami, the Heat will fold like a cheap tent once they get back to the Garden for a deciding game.
HankIf the Celtics win Game 6 in Miami, Game 7 at home is a guaranteed win
Game six is definitely a tossup. But if you win Game six, game seven at home is ours.
Speaking of the Celtics, the guys had to address Joe Mazzulla’s bizarre pre-game motivation. Apparently, Joe decided the best way to get ready for a basketball game was to visit a hospital and gain perspective from people fighting for their lives. PFT found the whole thing a bit unhinged, comparing it to a certain hustle-culture guru who thrives on toxic motivation.
PFT CommenterJoe Mazzulla visiting a hospital before Game 5 is 'Gary V adjacent' and psycho behavior
He said watching a girl dying and smiling and enjoying her life, that's what it's really all about. So he gained some perspective. It's kind of some psycho shit, but I guess it's nice... it is Gary V adjacent what he's doing. He's just reminding, he's trying to force himself to work harder by looking at people who are dying.
The Rod Brind'Amour Special and Michael Block's Fall
The NHL Eastern Conference Finals wrapped up with the Hurricanes getting swept by the Panthers, but if you listened to Rod Brind'Amour, you’d think they were the ones moving on. Big Cat was appalled by the post-game presser, calling it some of the most elite loser talk in the history of professional sports.
Big CatRob Brind'Amour's post-sweep comments were 'the biggest loser talk' ever
The hurricanes got swept and Rob Brind'Amour afterwards said... 'we didn't lose four games, we got beat, but we were right there.' ... That's quite a quote. ... To come out afterwards and say the history books will show we got swept, but that's not what happened. ... On the surface that's the definition of Loser Talk.
Then there is the Michael Block situation. We all loved the Cinderella story at the PGA Championship, but the clock has officially struck midnight. Block went from the darling of the sports world to finishing dead last at the Charles Schwab Challenge, all while making some incredibly bold claims about how he'd dominate the tour if he just had a little more juice off the tee.
Big CatMichael Block is losing fans by saying he'd be one of the best in the world if he had Rory McIlroy's distance
He also had a clip where he said if he had Rory McIlroy's distance... he would be one of the best players in the world. ... He then came out and he is 120th out of 120 participants. ... That clip... what are we talking about here? ... Rory McIlroy, you know why Rory McIlroy has that is because he's a freak athlete and he's worked insanely hard.
Mark Titus in Studio
Mark Titus joined the show to discuss the state of the NBA and his burgeoning rivalry with the entire city of Boston. Titus is baffled by the entitlement of Celtics fans, pointing out that for a franchise that talks like they're the 1920s Yankees, they haven't actually won much lately. Big Cat countered that the strategy for these teams is simply to stay relevant and hope for a lucky bounce.
Big CatChampionships are very hard to win; you just have to keep rolling the dice and getting to the playoffs every year
I'm also a big believer in like, championships are very hard to win. Just having a consistently good team that gets to the playoffs and deep runs in the playoffs. Like you just keep rolling the dice... The playoffs is the goal. What happens after that? There's a lot of like bounces and weird shit that happen.
Titus isn't buying the comeback, though. He’s doubling down on the Heat ending this thing before it gets truly historic, citing the fact that the Celtics seem to genuinely dislike one another despite the two recent wins.
Mark TitusThe Celtics will absolutely not beat the Miami Heat in this series
I am so confident that the Celtics will not beat the heat in this series. It is actually kind of freaking me out how confident I am. ... This team is lifeless. This team hates each other... and they win one game and now we have a series. ... I think the pressure's still on the Celtics.
The conversation shifted to the Nuggets and Lakers, specifically the "retirement" rumors surrounding LeBron James. PFT is so certain LeBron is just looking for attention that he's putting his money where his mouth is.
PFT CommenterI bet $1,000 that LeBron James will definitely not retire this off-season
LeBron James does not retire. I bet $1,000 that LeBron James does not retire. Zero percent chance. Zero.
This led to a legendary breakdown of who actually has "that dog" in them. Titus and the guys debated whether you can actually acquire the dog through trauma—like Billy’s suggestion of a bad breakup—or if it's something you're born with. Titus has his doubts about the current MVP.
Mark TitusJoel Embiid is a 'loser' who lacks 'that dog in him'
Joel Embiid? ... Kind of a loser. ... To answer your question [Big Cat] Yes. That you, there's definitively guys who do have the dog in them and don't. ... It is pretty wild to think about [how many Kentucky players score 40 in the NBA and Calipari only won one title].
Big Cat pointed out that while it's rare, there is a precedent for a player finding their edge later in their career, specifically looking at the Big Three era in Miami.
Big CatChris Bosh is the rare example of a player who actually gained 'that dog in him' after joining the Heat
What about Chris Bosh? Did he kind of get a little dog with the heat? Because remember he at the Raptors, he was called Soft. He might be the example of a guy who gained some dog. He got heat culture. Got Dwayne Wade, he got Haslem, LeBron. Getting him tougher.
Succession Finale and The Move to Chicago
With the series finale of Succession looming on Sunday, Big Cat and PFT gave their final predictions. Big Cat is leaning toward a dark, cyclical ending for Kendall Roy that mirrors the isolation of his father.
Big CatSuccession will end with Kendall Roy taking over but having no one left in his life
I think it is going to be Kendall... he's finally morphed into his father where he berated Roman. He is at odds with Shiv. ... He has no one left. And I think that that is how they're gonna end the show. Where with no one left, he becomes the king. But at what cost? Literally his entire life.
Before letting Titus go, they talked about the impending move to Chicago. Big Cat is already picking out shovels to make sure the office is ready for football season, regardless of what the construction timelines say.
Big CatThe new Chicago office will be open and working by Week 1 of the NFL season
I confidently think we will be in there working, still have to finish some things by week one of the NFL. ... I'll fucking grab a shovel. I don't give a fuck. We need this office.
Whether it's the Celtics making history or PFT losing ten grand to a "friend prostitute," it's going to be a long, stressful weekend for everyone involved.
Never forget to check the blue mountains on your cans before you start hammering tow hitches with Billy.
